"Can you imagine where this starting staff will be when we get 'Burls' going strong?" Cooper said Friday.

As strange as it sounds, so far Buehrle is the one starter that's weighing the staff down. Entering his Sunday start, he's 2-6 with a 5.26 ERA, even though six of his 11 outings have been quality starts.

"The velocity isn't where it was at one time, but no one's is," Cooper said. "But he's a guy that never really relied on velocity. He relies on what? Movement, location, change of speed, so that's what we're focusing on.

"Right now, we've got to throw more first-pitch strikes, get more effective with the changeup, we've got to be more efficient, get earlier outs. Those are the things right now we're talking about. Never, ever giving into a hitter, because when anyone gives into a hitter, especially 'Burls,' it could turn into doubles or more, guys in scoring position or more. I would rather he never give in, walk some guys from time to time, because he has the ability to get groundballs and hold runners. It sounds crazy that I would say let's sacrifice that for the other thing, and the challenge for him is the hit column. He's always up there in hits because he's the guy that's pitching 220-240 innings."

Buehrle has had long slumps on the mound in the past. The start to his 2008 season, however, is different.

"I don't think I am (discouraged) because in previous years I've been more messed up, mentally, than I am now," Buehrle said. "I feel like I've gone out there and thrown the ball well in a majority of my starts."

If Sunday is the beginning of his turnaround, it will be determined in the first two innings. So far this season, 22 of his 45 runs allowed have occurred in those first two innings, while opposing batters are hitting .400 off of him in the second inning.

"I have to go out there and keep doing what I'm doing, make my pitches, but stay out of that one big inning," Buehrle said. "If there seems to be that one big thing I've run into, it's the big inning."

RAYS 2, WHITE SOX 1: Besides second baseman Alexei Ramirez hitting his second home run of the year and going 2-for-4, there wasn't much to say about the inept Sox offense Friday. The stat that said it all was 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Even when they had opportunities, they let them get away.

With the bases loaded in the second inning and just one out, Nick Swisher had to come through. Instead, he hit into the double play. No wonder manager Ozzie Guillen said afterward that Swisher looks like a guy that's pressing and is trying "to get five hits in one at-bat."

At least Sox pitchers are getting a good taste of what playoff baseball might be like, as they again had very little room for error. Jose Contreras continued to be brilliant, while Scott Linebrink (2-1) had his first real stumble of the year.